Front Axle Question

[panzer]

What is considered to be the Holy Grail of front axles for a stock D60 ?

And what would it come out of? as in what to look for when you go to the junkyard?

i would also like to know why you think said axle would be the best starting ground

i know most of you guys run high dollar axles for your buggies so i know you had to start your axle build somewhere.

thanks for any and all input

 

[85toyo]

It all depends on the drivetrain you want to run but neither of the two are going to hold up to much abuse in stock form.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/60_front/
This should tell you what years and models they came in plus some other tech

 

[panzer]

I love that D60 bible but it really doesnt say why 1 thing is better then the other
it does say why there are some that
are undesierable but not really what is better then each other

as for a drivetrain.....turbo 4.3 /th400/

 

[TBItoy]

It all really has to do with how much money you want to spend...

High pinion (Ford) is the best center section,

Chevy has better knuckles and brakes.

If you are using a Chevy pass drop tcase, I'd just run a chevy axle... They are all the same.

if you are going to adapt a Ford case, Atlas, or run a driver drop Chevy case from an IFS truck, then you got some options for Ford axles with factory 8x6.5 lug pattern... Basically 3 different ones:
1. 79 model - more tube on the driver side, really the only advantage to this is if you are running leaf springs in a Jeep or coil springs.
2. late 80s-early 90s kingpin - short tube on driver side wide spring perches 36.5" wide
3. mid 90s balljoint 60 - basically same as #2, but with better brakes and arguably better knuckles

Or if you want, you can look at superduty axles, which have metric lug pattern, unit bearings, etc. 99-04 has smaller Cs, knuckles, housing, bearings than 05+


IMO the "Holy Grail" is the 2005+ Superduty Dana 60. They have MASSIVE Cs and Knuckles, big ass unit bearings, heavy tubes, high pinion, built in link mounts, and are 35 spline inners and OUTERS factory.
Badass heavy duty axle.

 

[Neal3000]

IMO the "Holy Grail" is the 2005+ Superduty Dana 60. They have MASSIVE Cs and Knuckles, big ass unit bearings, heavy tubes, high pinion, built in link mounts, and are 35 spline inners and OUTERS factory.
Badass heavy duty axle.

Is it possible to press out the tubes and swapthem to get a pass. Side drop on these axles, not at home obviously but say if you took it to a shop with a bigass press?

 

[TBItoy]

Re: Re: Re: Front Axle Question

Is it possible to press out the tubes and swapthem to get a pass. Side drop on these axles, not at home obviously but say if you took it to a shop with a bigass press?

I assume so. But, there is a big cast in link mount on the diff that would need to be cut down if it was passenger drop.

http://image.4wheeloffroad.com/f/17509771/131_0906_02_z+dana_60_front_axle+cast_iron_housing.jpg

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[Neal3000]

Re: Re: Re: Front Axle Question

I assume so. But, there is a big cast in link mount on the diff that would need to be cut down if it was passenger drop.

http://image.4wheeloffroad.com/f/17509771/131_0906_02_z+dana_60_front_axle+cast_iron_housing.jpg

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

wow, that crap is enormous, that would be a pita to get off there......those mounts are for radius arms right? those mounts wouldn't work for any kind of custom 4 or 3 link setup

 

[TBItoy]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Front Axle Question

wow, that crap is enormous, that would be a pita to get off there......those mounts are for radius arms right? those mounts wouldn't work for any kind of custom 4 or 3 link setup

pretty much everyone that uses those axles, uses the radius arm mounts for custom links. Usually a 3 link with panhard.

the mount has like 9"of separation, so there is plenty for a good link setup.

Most of the good aftermarket lift kits convert the super duty to 4 link.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[zukiscott]

I belive that is the axle under the front of John Burns buggy "ONE CRAZY ONE" , I think

these are some older pics from Harlan, but I do believe it is the axle yall are referring to,,,

and he still has those axles under his new rig as well , they are fo sho BADDASS ;D

 

[Bigrocks4x4]

I belive that is the axle under the front of John Burns buggy "ONE CRAZY ONE" , I think

these are some older pics from Harlan, but I do believe it is the axle yall are referring to,,,

and he still has those axles under his new rig as well , they are fo sho BADDASS ;D

He does have a 99-03 dana 60 but it is nowhere near in "stock" form.

 

[zukiscott]

Well their the STOCK DAMN housins ain,t they "except for trussin of course"

 

[Bigrocks4x4]

Haha, yea the housing is all thats stock about it ;D

 

[panzer]

so i guess you guys are right ...you can spend a ton of cash on any D60 and make it BAD ASS

but what im looking for is what is the best place to start...im not going to be doing nothing to these axles but

bolt ons!! and what i can buy for them and do in my garage...no pressing tubes and no machine work that i cant

do with a drill press...i got a little welder so yeah i can build a truss and im not even in the relm of doing hydro steering

im looking for stock form....i guess it would be best if i told you my ideas on what i want to build within the next 2 years


Samurai based buggy with a turboed 4.3 not too sure on tranny or case but would like to have a 400 (heard there strongest of the autos) with an atlas and a 14 bolt rear
the atlas is going to be my big dollar item..the motor is good to go!!! then my suspension im going to do a front 4 link and i realy want to
do the 1 link rear but im not 100% on that yet with 39-42 inch tires...i hope this helps some in explaing what im wanting to do

 

[Bigrocks4x4]

Man id say get an older chevy, or ford 60 ( kingpin style) whichever works for u, and build from that. Sure the newer superduty 60's may be cheaper and easier to get, but the unit bearing setup on em are pretty much junk. By the time u swap it back to spindle style u coulda spent that money on some chromo shafts and be that much further along

 

[panzer]

i have an off kind of queston ...i saw a frame and axles sitting in the junk yard the other day

the front was a D60 but it didnt have lockout hubs on it....just a nut and a cotter pin holding said nut on

what the hell is that all about? it looked like something you would see on a 2wd....i wish i would have taken a picture but i was

more interested in looking for an old Army truck i guess...i hear thats a good place to source a good combo D60/14 bolt